Saving the Sope Creek ES Murals
A parent's open letter to her school community asks to preserve student artwork that's slated to be painted over.
Dear Sope Creek Alumni or Parents of Alumni,
I am e-mailing you after hearing that all the walls of Sope Creek Elementary School are scheduled to be painted on the 25th of May (the day after the last day of school).
With the exception of the mural of Sope Creek in the entrance of the school, all other murals and artwork throughout the building will be covered with several coats of paint. Many walls were painted over the course of 30 years, including Art Day fingerprints and/or handprints that were contributed by the students to make a lasting and proud piece of work.
Other walls were painted by local artists, including parents of Sope Creek students, as well as Sope Creek teachers. Many were paid hefty dollar amounts, even as recently as the 2010-2011 school years, for their contributions to our hallways and cafeteria.
With unknown budget cuts coming to ALL schools for the 2012-2013 school years, it seems that extra funds would logically be allocated to educational items, tools, or training that would directly benefit our students and teachers, as opposed to painting over murals that give our school a sense of history and pride.
Although it has been suggested that this painting is necessary due to chipping, handprints, and fingerprints on the artwork, perhaps a more sensible solution would be to hold a community clean up event, with Sope Creek alumni earning service hours to touch up the art work, thus preserving the spirit, culture, and special memories of our outstanding school.
Please share your thoughts or your children's thoughts on this matter. You can reply to all or just to me if you would like to share your thoughts or suggestions.
Teachers have been packing their classrooms and workrooms since the middle of February.
Teacher instruction time was used today, 15 May 2012, for the teachers to pack their classrooms/workrooms. There were Substitute teachers in the classrooms. I cannot image how much time by the teachers and parent volunteers that has gone into packing everything- yes, everything in their classrooms and workrooms.
The Sope Creek PTA is purchasing boxes for teachers to use to pack their classrooms. Some teachers have already purchased boxes to do this prior to knowing the PTA was able to do so.
More funds going to this project that could be put toward needed items or staff for the students of Sope Creek Elementary.
Kimberly Alexander
George C
12:07 pm on Wednesday, May 16, 2012
What a shame! I agree with you 100%, the children's work should be preserved and taxpayer money should not be wasted to cover it up! If there is anything I can do to help let me know.
Tori Nichols
6:20 am on Thursday, May 17, 2012
We put two through Sope Creek and have a third child there now. We would be happy to help preserve some of the walls of the school for the kids.
Tori and Jay Nichols
Kimberly Alexander
2:00 pm on Friday, May 18, 2012
Looks like a change was made since I reported the information on the PTA purchasing the boxes. Now the county is purchasing the boxes.
I'm very glad the change was made to the proper organization is purchasing the boxes for the teachers.
Kimberly Alexander
10:16 pm on Friday, May 18, 2012
Kathi, George and Tori,
You can call the school and see if the administration will admit which murals they are painting. They claim "some" will remain. I am not sure of this is just their way of smoothing this over~ I have emailed Martha Whalen twice today asking which ones will be saved. I have yet to receive a response from her.